Let’s be friends!

Lagniappe has been a free newspaper for nearly 12 years and will continue to be even after we start publishing weekly in April. But as doubling our output is quite an endeavor, and also that readers frequently ask how they can help make sure their favorite newspaper is there to report the news, we’ve decided to do something that will help us and our readers.

That’s why we’re announcing “Friends With Benefits,” a way for readers who want to pay a little something for their Lagniappe to do so while also getting Something Extra back. This is totally voluntary! People who want to continue picking up the paper as they always have or reading us online are absolutely welcome to do so.

But if you think we’re worth less than the cost of a Diet Coke a week, then we hope you’d like to become one of our Friends. I promise we’re better for your bones than that Diet Coke, and if you do sign up, we’ll give you a little something back in return. Here’s what we’ll do for those who sign up:

Send you a list of the weekend’s musical offerings each Thursday;

Send you a list of some recommended weekend activities each Thursday;

We’ll email our “Friends” a selected article every Wednesday so you can read it hours before it hits the streets. That way you’ll feel smarter.

Any concert, festival or event ticket giveaways or contests for other treats will go exclusively to our “Friends.” That’s a pretty good “benefit.”

And we’ll try to get some of our advertisers to reach out to you with great deals and specials aimed at FWBs.

Most of all you’ll get the good feeling that comes with knowing you’re helping your community have a great newspaper.